Cardinal Urosa calls for transparent judicial proceedings
Mar 19, 2006
"We are going to fight for a dialogue among the different players. We own no wand, but we do want to stress that a democratic solution to the electoral issue should be sought," said the vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference
(EL UNIVERSAL, March 14 2006) Caracas Archbishop Jorge Cardinal Urosa Savino urged President Hugo Chávez' government to conduct "judicial proceedings in accordance with the rules set under the Constitution and the laws."
According to Urosa Savino, at this particular political time in Venezuela law enforcement agencies should act with "very much transparency," "in order to reassure people who deem judicial proceedings unfair that there is willingness to act under the Constitution."
Urosa Savino's comments came Monday following a meeting with a delegation of opposition Comando de la Resistencia, who voiced concern about political prisoners and persecuted people, as well as the electoral climate ahead of December 3rd presidential election.
He added the Catholic Church would continue to "use the resources we have. There is a Human Rights Vicar's Office in Caracas" and in several other regions in Venezuela to help people whose fundamental human rights have allegedly been violated.
The Caracas Archbishop also stressed that the government needed to show "openness and foster reconciliation" among domestic sectors.
In this sense, he claimed Chávez' administration should make the move to grant "pardons to people who have been convicted for politics-related crimes."
"We all are winners when the judicial proceedings are conducted with clarity and where there is reconciliation among the different sectors."
"We are going to fight for a dialogue among the different players. We own no wand, but we do want to stress that a democratic solution to the electoral issue should be sought," said the vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops' Conference
Reliable electoral system
Once again, Cardinal Urosa Savino stressed: "All the domestic political sectors ought to come to terms. Therefore, those people who think that nowadays there is lack of conditions for the elections next December could feel that the way has been paved for open, truly democratic elections."
He insisted that "government forces, which have the power in the National Assembly (AN) are to play the most significant role." "They need to fulfill the demands set forth in the laws. In this way, all Venezuelans will feel that they have full freedom to cast their ballots in December of this year."
Cardinal Urosa calls for transparent judicial proceedings